Pope Benedict XVI has called for calm in the Middle East following the Israeli storming of a flotilla of ships trying to break the blockade of Gaza.
Speaking during a trip to Cyprus last weekend, the Holy Father called for "concerted international effort" to ease tensions in the Middle East before more blood was spilled.
Tensions in the region rose ahead of the papal visit when Israeli commandos stormed a ship chartered by a Turkish Islamic charity which was trying to break Israel's blockade of the Hamas-controlled enclave. IDF soldiers killed nine Turkish nationals, who had attacked the soldiers.
